Direct Vision Standard and Safety Permit for HGVs

Conditions Attached to a HGV Safety Permit

The following conditions were approved on 21 March 2019 by London Councils Transport & Environment Committee to apply to all HGV Safety Permits granted under the London HGV Safety Permit Scheme provisions of the Greater London (Restriction of Goods Vehicles) Traffic Order 1985 ("Traffic Order", as amended).

Notes:

A. An HGV Safety Permit is required before an HGV in excess of 12 tonnes Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) ("the Vehicle") is operated (used/driven or caused/permitted to be driven) on any public road in Greater London. This is any highway or length of highway maintainable at public expense in Greater London; referred to as the "restricted roads" in the Traffic Order.

B. The HGV Safety Permit of any Vehicle not meeting the "minimum Direct Vision Standard (DVS) requirement" star rating (One Star or un-rated until 27 October 2024 and Three Stars after that date) will be granted subject to the Safe System Conditions set out in Condition 10 below. (The measures included in the Safe System and the exemptions from those measures will be reviewed in 2022; any new measures to be included in the System will be confirmed prior to 28 October 2024.)

C. In these Conditions, unless stated otherwise, the word "applicant" shall be taken to mean both (1) the applicant for the HGV Safety Permit and, if different from the applicant, (2) the person to whom the HGV Safety Permit is granted or driver of the Vehicle in respect of which a HGV Safety Permit is granted.

D. An HGV Safety Permit is valid under the Traffic Order for all public roads in Greater London for the duration of the Permit.

E. Failure to comply with these Conditions may result in the revocation or suspension of the HGV Safety Permit. Suspension may be immediate if it is considered in the interests of public safety. It is a contravention of the Traffic Order to operate the Vehicle on any public road in Greater London while its HGV Safety Permit is suspended.

F. It is a contravention of the Traffic Order to either (1) fail to obtain a HGV Safety Permit for a Vehicle prior to operating on any public road in Greater London, including when the Permit has been suspended or revoked, or (2) operate the Vehicle in contravention of these Conditions (including the Safe System Conditions where they apply). A Penalty Charge Notice may be issued to operators or parties/persons liable for £550 (reduced by half if paid within 14 days)

General Conditions applying to all HGV Safety Permits

1. The applicant shall operate the vehicle for which the HGV Safety Permit is issued in compliance with the requirements/measures set out in these Conditions.

2. The applicant and the driver of the Vehicle shall co-operate in assisting any authorised officer of London Councils and/ or of Transport for London in the reasonable exercise of his/her duties in checking whether the vehicle has been modified and/or is being operated in accordance with the Conditions.

3. An applicant shall bring to the attention of the driver of the Vehicle all Conditions subject to which this HGV Safety Permit has been issued. However, this does not remove the applicant's responsibility for compliance with these Conditions.

4. The HGV Safety Permit is granted to the applicant for the specified vehicle and is not transferable to another vehicle or vehicle registration mark, and where granted to an individual or sole trader, may not be transferred to another Operator. The permit will automatically cease to be valid if the vehicle ceases to be under the ownership or control (as applicable) of the applicant and it shall then be the duty of the applicant to inform Transport for London of this immediately in writing via tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/dvs-contact-us

5. It is the responsibility of the applicant to inform Transport for London of any changes to their contact details.

6. The duration of a HGV Safety Permit will depend on whether the vehicle met the minimum DVS requirement or if it was granted subject to the Safe System Conditions

  • The Permits subject to the Safe System Conditions will expire at midnight 25 October 2024;
  • The Permits of Vehicles rated One or Two Star will expire at midnight 25 October 2024; and
  • The Permits of Vehicles rated Three, Four or Five Star will expire at midnight 25 October 2030 or ten years after the application date if granted later than 26 October 2020 (whichever is the later).

7. No vehicle may be operated on any public road in Greater London during any time while its HGV Safety Permit is suspended or revoked.

8. A vehicle for which a permit application has been made may not be operated on any public road in Greater London until the HGV Safety Permit has been approved and issued.

9. The applicant shall ensure that all modifications, and any existing features fitted to the Vehicle to reduce its environmental impact and/ or increase its potential safety as regards other road users, including those required by Condition 10 below are:

  • maintained and kept in proper working order at all times; and
  • operated properly and appropriately in accordance with manufacturers' instructions.

Safe System Conditions where a vehicle does not meet the minimum DVS star rating

10. The applicant shall carry out and complete modifications to the Vehicle so as to comply with the measures set out in the Schedule (Safe System Measures) within the period specified subject to any further conditions, restrictions or limitations or exemptions indicated.

Safe System Measures

The following measures shall be fitted from 26 October 2020 unless an exemption is indicated:

1. A Class V mirror shall be fitted to the nearside of the vehicle

2. A Class VI mirror shall be fitted to the front of the vehicle

3. Side under-run protection shall be fitted to both sides of the vehicle (except where this is impractical or proves to be impossible)

4. External pictorial stickers and markings shall be displayed on vehicles to warn vulnerable road users of the hazards around the vehicle

5. A sensor system that alerts the driver to the presence of a vulnerable road user shall be fitted to the nearside of the vehicle

6. An audible vehicle manoeuvring warning shall be fitted to warn vulnerable road users when a vehicle is turning left

7. A fully operational camera monitoring system shall be fitted to the nearside of the vehicle

For left-hand drive vehicles, mirrors, cameras and sensors must be fitted appropriately to account for the blind spot on the right-hand side of the vehicle.